On April 23rd, the Fashion Archives and Museum at Shippensburg University is showcasing its latest exhibit, Happy Birthday! American Milestones from Lafayette to Today, from 4 to 6 p.m.
The exhibit honors the nation’s 250th anniversary and commemorates the shifting identities that the country has faced throughout history, through the display of clothing, souvenirs and folk arts tied to its milestone anniversaries. The themes include how commemorative practices expanded from comparatively limited offerings to significant integration of American historical identity into everyday life.
A 2025 Tourism Product Development Grant of $25,260 from the Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation, awarded to the Shippensburg University Foundation, made the project possible, and funds were used to bring in professional exhibit designer Charles Mack. Karin Bohleke, the director of the Fashion Archives & Museum, said the designer helped develop a color scheme and floor plan that “highlights the artifacts and presents the mannequins for maximum visitor enjoyment.”
The chosen clothing and artifacts correspond to specific commemorative years, emphasizing what people actually wore at different times throughout the nation and how objects created to mark anniversaries have changed over time. The exhibit shows how industrialization, international trade and changing styles influenced the production of commemorative goods. Early souvenirs in the show include items manufactured in England—the defeated party—which serve as a reminder that American commemorative merchandising was not initially domestically produced.
One piece in particular that Bohleke highlighted is a specially commissioned quilt by Stitch’N’Peace Quilt Guild. The quilt integrates national, state and county symbols, while also honoring the central role women play in historic preservation. Bohleke noted how women “were driving forces in fundraising and organizing for the Centennial and for launching preservation efforts for the 1926 Exposition.” Quilting was integral to the 1970s revival of women’s arts in spinning, quilting and weaving, which later helped sustain some American textile firms facing overseas competition.
Steph Craven, an intern at the Fashion Archives & Museum, worked alongside volunteer Joann Dunigan to conserve an 18th-century embroidered suit for this exhibit, which required more than 100 hours of meticulous stabilization. Craven handled delicate mounting, as well as some sewing, while Dunigan focused on stitch-by-stitch repairs and structural support. “It was slow, meticulous work, but immensely rewarding,” said Dunigan. “Seeing the suit return to stable condition made every hour worth it, she added, “I’m proud to have helped preserve a piece of history for future visitors.”
Happy Birthday! American Milestones from Lafayette to Today shares the dynamic and multifaceted story of how Americans have understood and celebrated their heritage, and how celebrations reveal the evolution of American life and culture, successes and failures, progress and struggles. Through clothing, quilts and commemorative souvenirs, the Fashion Archives & Museum highlights the 250th Anniversary of the nation not just a singular celebration, but as an evolution of practices from its early beginnings to modern times.
For more information about the exhibit Happy Birthday! American Milestones from Lafayette to Today and about the grand opening, visit the Fashion Archives & Museum at: https://fashionarchives.org/new-exhibit-opening-on-april-23-2026/. The exhibit runs through November 19.
